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34-614: The Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet ( Royal Navy ), gained a NATO responsibility as Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT), as part of SACLANT , when the NATO military command structure was established in 1953. CINCEASTLANT headquarters was established at the Northwood Headquarters in northwest London. Commander-in-Chief Eastern Atlantic was redesignated as Commander, Allied Maritime Component Command Northwood ('CC-Mar' or AMCCN) around 2004. The command, which

68-607: A Vice-Admiral changed a number of times during this period. In the Royal Navy, the rank of vice-admiral should be distinguished from the office of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom , which is an Admiralty position usually held by a retired full admiral, and that of Vice-Admiral of the Coast , a now obsolete office dealing with naval administration in each of the maritime counties. Vice-admirals are entitled to fly

102-416: A multinational, integrated maritime force made up of vessels from allied countries. The ships and any aircraft aboard are available to NATO to support Alliance tasking. These groups provide NATO with a continuous maritime capability. The command is also responsible for additional naval assets as they support NATO missions. Current groups are: Commanders have been: This European military article

136-899: A permenant force called the Home Squadron. At the beginning of 1905, it was renamed the Channel Fleet . In 1907 a new Home Fleet was formed from ships in reserve and new ships, and in 1909 the Channel Fleet was merged into it, forming the principal fleet in British waters. In 1912 it was renamed the Home Fleets , formed of the First, Second and Third. On the outbreak of the First World War the First Fleet became

170-915: A submarine flotilla (six), two aircraft carriers and associated vessels. Post holders during the inter-war period were: The Home Fleet was the Royal Navy's main battle force in European waters during the Second World War . On 3 September 1939, under Admiral Forbes flying his flag in Nelson at Scapa Flow , it consisted of the 2nd Battle Squadron , the Battle Cruiser Squadron, 18th Cruiser Squadron , Rear-Admiral, Destroyers, Rear-Admiral, Submarines (2nd Submarine Flotilla, Dundee, 6th Submarine Flotilla, Blyth, Northumberland ), Vice-Admiral, Aircraft Carriers (Vice-Admiral L. V. Wells, with Ark Royal , Furious , and Pegasus ), and

204-638: Is a flag officer rank of the Royal Navy and equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 . It is immediately superior to the rear admiral rank and is subordinate to the full admiral rank. The equivalent rank in the British Army and Royal Marines is lieutenant-general ; and in the Royal Air Force , it is air marshal . The Royal Navy has had vice-admirals since at least the 16th century. When

238-552: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Home Fleet The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy that operated from the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967. In 1967, it was merged with the Mediterranean Fleet creating the new Western Fleet . Before the First World War between 1902 and 1904 the Admiralty reorganised its ships in home waters into

272-526: The 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron . From 1947 to 1957 superfluous battleships and aircraft carriers were assigned to the Training Squadron, Home Fleet headquartered at Portland to provide basic training. The carriers stationed here were mobilised as helicopter carriers for the Suez operation in 1956. In December 1951 the Admiralty authorised the creation of a new Heavy Squadron to be assigned to

306-569: The First World War was breaking out, John Jellicoe was ordered to take command of the Fleet, which by his appointment order was renamed the Grand Fleet . Post holders during the pre-war period were:' Post holders included: Post holders included: The Home Fleets were a new organisation of the Royal Navy's unified home commands ( First , Second and Third Fleets) instituted on 31 July 1912 to December 1914. On 8 August 1914 units of

340-628: The Grand Fleet . When the Grand Fleet was redistributed after the war, the reserve fleet was briefly named Home Fleet in 1919 before being renamed, and after the Invergordon Mutiny in 1931 the Atlantic Fleet was renamed Home Fleet in 1932. During the Second World War , it was the Royal Navy's main battle force in European waters. In the first years of the 20th century, the Royal Navy had four 'Port Guard' ships, stationed in

374-496: The Invergordon Mutiny . The Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet in 1933 was Admiral Sir John Kelly . The Home Fleet comprised the flagship Nelson leading a force that included the 2nd Battle Squadron (five more battleships), the Battlecruiser Squadron ( Hood and Renown ), the 2nd Cruiser Squadron (Vice-Admiral Edward Astley-Rushton ) aboard Dorsetshire (three cruisers), three destroyer flotillas (27),

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408-624: The 8th Submarine Flotilla. When the Grand Fleet was disbanded in April 1919, the more powerful ships were grouped into the Atlantic Fleet and the older ships became the "Home Fleet"; this arrangement lasted until late 1919, when the ships of the Home Fleet became the Reserve Fleet . The name "Home Fleet" was resurrected in March 1932, as the new name for the Atlantic Fleet , following

442-631: The Fleet . From 1966 to 1967, then-Rear Admiral Sir Michael Pollock was listed as Flag Officer Second in Command, Home Fleet. In December 1966, all remaining squadrons in the Home Fleet were disbanded. In 1967 the Home Fleet was amalgamated with the Mediterranean Fleet and redesignated the Western Fleet . Source for post holders after the Second World War: Vice admiral (Royal Navy) A vice-admiral ( VAdm )

476-585: The German submarine U-47 while supposedly safe in Scapa Flow, and the loss of the pride of the Navy, the battlecruiser Hood , to the German battleship Bismarck . 2nd Battle Squadron under Admiral Blagrove was effectively disestablished when he died in the sinking of Royal Oak . The operational areas of the Home Fleet were not circumscribed, and units were detached to other zones quite freely. However,

510-484: The Home Fleet, consisting of the battleship Vanguard , aircraft carriers, and cruisers. Its commanding officer was known as Flag Officer, Aircraft Carriers who had administrative responsibility for all the operational carriers; the squadron was disbanded in October 1954. After the Second World War , the Royal Navy's geographic commands were gradually merged into fewer but larger formations (1954 to 1971). After 1951

544-553: The Home Fleets were distributed in accordance with Admiralty Fleet Order the majority of elements formed the new Grand Fleet others were assigned to the following units: Channel Fleet , Northern Patrol -Cruiser Force B, 7th Cruiser Squadron -Cruiser Force, 11th Cruiser Squadron -Cruiser Force E, Dover Patrol , Harwich Flotillas , 7th Destroyer Flotilla , 8th Destroyer Flotilla , 9th Destroyer Flotilla , 5th Submarine Flotilla, 6th Submarine Flotilla, 7th Submarine Flotilla and

578-466: The Home Squadron. "... the nucleus of the Home Fleet would consist of the four Port Guard ships, which would be withdrawn from their various scattered dockyards and turned into a unified and permanent sea-going command – the Home Squadron – based on Portland. Also under the direction of the commander-in-chief of the Home Fleet would be the Coast Guard ships, which would continue to be berthed for

612-600: The Orkney and Shetlands force. Its chief responsibility was to keep Germany's Kriegsmarine from breaking out of the North Sea . For this purpose, the First World War base at Scapa Flow was reactivated as it was well placed for interceptions of ships trying to run the blockade. The two most surprising losses of the Home Fleet during the early part of the war were the sinking of the old battleship Royal Oak by

646-712: The Second World War: Post holders included: As the Cold War began, greater emphasis was placed on protecting the North Atlantic sea lanes from the Soviet Union in concert with other Western countries. Admiral Sir Rhoderick McGrigor supervised combined Western Union exercises involving ships from the British, French, and Dutch navies in June–July 1949. Admiral McGrigor flew his flag from

680-519: The aircraft carrier Implacable . Also taking part in the exercises were Victorious and Anson , along with cruisers and destroyers. During the exercise, the combined force paid a visit to Mount's Bay in Cornwall from 30 June – 4 July 1949. Admiral Sir Philip Vian , Commander-in-Chief from 1950 to 1952, flew his flag in Vanguard . In late 1951, Theseus joined the fleet as flagship of

714-449: The battleship HMS Empress of India , at this time. In May 1903 Noel was succeeded as Commander-in-Chief by Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson . On 14 December 1904, the Channel Fleet was re-styled the Atlantic Fleet and the Home Fleet became the Channel Fleet. In 1907, the Home Fleet was reformed with Vice-Admiral Francis Bridgeman in command, succeeded by Admiral Sir William May in 1909. Bridgeman took command again in 1911, and in

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748-456: The first four guided missile destroyers, and other ships were under construction. In February 1963 all remaining frigate and destroyer squadrons in the Home, Mediterranean and Far East Fleets were merged into new Escort Squadrons. In April 1963, the naval unit at the Northwood Headquarters , in northwest London, was commissioned as HMS  Warrior under the command of the then Captain of

782-515: The first time to practice the defence of northern Europe, Denmark and Norway. The resulting McMahon Act difficulties caused by potential British control of the United States Navy 's attack carriers armed with nuclear weapons led to the creation of a separate Striking Fleet Atlantic, directly responsible to the commander of the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet, in his NATO position as SACLANT, by the end of 1952. The submarine tender Maidstone

816-541: The fleet was deployed, the vice-admiral would be in the leading portion or van , acting as the deputy to the admiral. The rank of Vice-Admiral evolved from that of Lieutenant of the Admiralty (1546–1564) that being an officer who acted as secretary to the Lord Admiral of England and lapsed in 1876 but was revived in 1901 by King Edward VII . Prior to 1864 the Royal Navy was divided into coloured squadrons which determined his career path . The command flags flown by

850-596: The major naval bases, partially to act as flagships for the admirals commanding at those ports. These vessels appear to have been stationed at the Nore, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, as well as one other major base. On 1 October 1902, the Admiral Superintendent Naval Reserves, then Vice-Admiral Gerard Noel , was given the additional appointment of Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, and allotted a rear-admiral to serve under him as commander of

884-400: The most part in their respective district harbours in order to carry out their local duties, but would join the Home Squadron for sea work at least three times per year, at which point the assembled force – the Home Squadron and the Coast Guard vessels – would be known collectively as the Home Fleet." Rear-Admiral George Atkinson-Willes was Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet, with his flag in

918-464: The same year was succeeded by Admiral Sir George Callaghan . On 29 March 1912, a new structure of the fleet was announced, which came into force on 1 May 1912. The former Home Fleet, which was organised into four divisions, was divided into the First , Second and Third Fleets as Home Fleets. The Home Fleets were the Navy's unified home commands in British waters from 1912 to 1914. On 4 August 1914, as

952-540: The sole maritime component in NATO. MARCOM led Operation Active Endeavour , NATO's only Article-5 operation which ended in 2016. MARCOM also led Operation Ocean Shield , NATO's counter-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean which also ended in 2016. Currently, MARCOM leads Operation Sea Guardian designed as a Maritime Security Operation to provide security in the Mediterranean Sea . MARCOM

986-715: The southern parts of the North Sea and the English Channel were made separate commands for light forces, and the growing intensity of the Battle of the Atlantic led to the creation of Western Approaches Command . Only with the destruction of the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944 did the Home Fleet assume a lower priority, and most of its heavy units were withdrawn to be sent to the Far East. Post holder sources for

1020-715: The term 'Submarine Flotilla' was used to describe the squadrons under command of the Flag Officer Submarines . The Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, gained an additional NATO responsibility as Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic (CINCEASTLANT), as part of Allied Command Atlantic , when the NATO military command structure was established in 1953. CINCEASTLANT was set up at the Northwood Headquarters in northwest London. The Commander-in-Chief Home Fleet still flew his flag however in Tyne at Portsmouth. During Exercise Mainbrace in 1952, NATO naval forces came together for

1054-683: The term flotilla applied to the higher command organisation of squadrons in the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. The squadrons of the Home Fleet were grouped under a Flag Officer, Flotillas, Home Fleet , who became the main seagoing flag officer. A similar arrangement applied to the Flag Officer, Flotillas, Mediterranean Fleet . In the Far East the Flag Officer 5th Cruiser Squadron became Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet with similar seagoing duties. Increasingly

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1088-673: Was created through the North Atlantic Council to ensure the interoperability of NATO maritime forces, and placed directly under the Supreme Allied Commander Europe to be the leading voice on maritime issues within the Alliance. It is responsible for planning and conducting all NATO maritime operations. MARCOM leads four standing NATO maritime groups, two frigate groups and two mine countermeasures groups. The Standing NATO Maritime Groups are

1122-545: Was renamed Allied Maritime Command Northwood in 2010, reports to Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum . At the 2010 NATO Summit in Lisbon it was decided to create a leaner and more effective command structure. This reduced the number of major headquarters from 11 to 7 and, in particular, led to the deactivation of the Allied Maritime Command Naples on 27 March 2013 leaving the newly named MARCOM as

1156-598: Was the fleet's flagship in 1956. In the spring of 1960, C-in-C Home Fleet moved permanently ashore to Northwood, while Flag Officer, Flotillas, Home, retained effective control at sea as the C-in-C's deputy. Cecil Hampshire writes that the ships with the fleet in 1960 included the flagship Tyne, a destroyer depot ship which by then was more than 20 years old; carriers Victorious and HMS  Albion ; fast minelayer Apollo; seventeen destroyers and frigates; and sixteen submarines. Another aircraft carrier, cruisers Lion and Blake;

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